


Exceptions and Missing You

by AniCatya04



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Confessions, F/F, Fluff, Hopefully I wrote these two in character, Procrastinated and ended up with this, Secret Crush, There's a story in there but it's not based on any mythology or religion, this was written on a whim
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-06
Updated: 2020-08-06
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:53:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25742398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AniCatya04/pseuds/AniCatya04
Summary: Returning back, Mai revisits an old memory and feelings for a dear friend.
Relationships: Mai/Ty Lee (Avatar)
Kudos: 16





	Exceptions and Missing You

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this story because it was an idea that popped into my head, and I didn't want to lose it. I tried my best to write these two, since they're one of my favourites.
> 
> Please feel free to leave a kudos and feedback! I appreciate any constructive criticism!

Returning home on a whim was something that had never crossed her mind until now. Mai vowed not to return, but deep down she knew that there was a small part of her that returned to look for someone.

Someone who she cared deeply about.

  
She tried to remember the blurry faces of the people there, but there was none. She could see grey smudges in her memory, and warped voices that didn’t make sense.

Except for one.

One stood out like a bright kaleidoscope of colours and chirpy voices that were forever clear to her.

* * *

_“_ _Come on! We have to hurry!” Ty Lee said as she grabbed my hand and held it tightly. She made her way across a sea of people, many tourists who had come to the little town for the famed festival._

_Thousands of brightly coloured dancers along with gold painted floats and blue roses that made the road look as if it were a deep blue river flowing endlessly into the town. It took up the streets, with it’s booming music and raucous cheering and laughter._

_“Isn’t it beautiful?” Ty Lee exclaimed, marveling at the swarm of colours that for Mai, were far too bright on the eyes._

_“We have this every year, it’s not unusual by now,” Mai said, looking around unimpressed._

_“Still, it’s all so lovely! Did I tell you about the story behind it?”_

_“No, I never bothered, really.”_

_“Wanna hear it?” Ty Lee asked, with a hint of excitement in her voice._

_Ty Lee looked at her eagerly, awaiting Mai’s answer._

_‘She looked really happy’ Mai thought, and so she agreed with a nod, Ty Lee’s hand still clutching mine._

_“The story goes that one day, a spirit had wandered into town. The spirit had been awakened by people trying to dig near the volcano, and she wandered to town angry that the hems of her scarlet gown turned to small flaming spikes of metal._

_Wherever she went, she brought her cold anger and poison trail, all with fire on her eyes._

_The people of the town were scared, and so they banded together a group of warriors to frighten the spirit._

_They tried with all their might, but each of them fell to the spirit’s wrath, and were pierced with blades of steel._

_One day, a young woman was passing by through the woods, when she heard soft weeping near the riverbank._

_“What’s wrong,” asked the young woman, putting her basket down and sitting next to the weeping lady._

_“My home is gone,” she replied, she stopped weeping and gazed back at the young woman._

_“Do you have family you can go to?”_

_“No, spirits don’t have family.”_

_“If you wish so, you could stay with me for a while.”_

_“Why are you being so kind to me?” The spirit inquired, narrowing her eyes in suspicion and subtly preparing herself for an attack._

_“Why would I not be?” the young woman replied, smiling kindly at the spirit. She had brought misery to her village; how can she not hate me?_

_And so, the young woman took blue roses from her basket and gave it to the spirit, offering a token of friendship._

_When she returned to the village, she told them of how she had met the spirit and suggested that they leave her home alone and appease the spirit instead._

_They refused and ordered her to be burnt._

_When the spirit had heard of this, she helped the woman escape, but as they ran into the woods, one of the villagers had set a trap and the young woman had fallen in it. The trap gripped her leg tightly, digging into her skin as she attempted to get it free. It released a poison, and soon it began to slowly weaken her._

_When the villagers had caught up with them, they saw the spirit clutching the young woman, who was now dead in her arms._

_Feeling guilty for what they had done, they promised the spirit they would leave her home alone, but she ignored their words and vanished into the trail._

_When they came back for the young girl, they couldn’t find the body, but all they had left were blue roses that grew in the place her body was once held._

_And so, it was, that the village would atone by holding a festival each year for the spirit and the young woman, hoping that their apology would reach the afterlife”_

* * *

“And that’s the story of this whole festival!”

“Wait so is this whole parade thing just one big, ‘I’m sorry we fucked up’ gift?” Mai retorted, side eyeing one of the musicians who got too close to the audience.

Ty Lee laughed, grinning appreciatively. “See, I knew you could be funny!” she commented, squeezing Mai’s hand just a little bit tighter.

I don’t mind stinking crowds, and the searing summer heat that made this whole event so unpleasant. She didn’t need to know that, and I’d bear it for her.   
  


I could listen to her laugh and I would have still felt the same.

As her friend was enamoured with the passing parade, she glanced at her, giving a fond smile.

This wasn’t too bad I suppose.

* * *

Arriving at the small airport, she noticed that there wasn’t as many people around as the ones in the city. But even from here, she would have to catch a ride back, and she was not prepared for another two hours of cramped seating. The heat was already killing her, and she cursed herself silently for wearing too many layers.

You couldn’t exactly blame her, it was colder in Ba Sing Se this year.

“Mai!”

Turning around, she saw her Ty Lee, carrying a sign with Mai’s name on it, looking as cheerful as the last time she had seen her.

“It’s been a while,” she stated, stepping closer for a short embrace. I gave her a small pat on the back, startled at the sudden touch. It wasn’t unwelcome, but she never got used to the sudden embraces given to her by Ty Lee.

“Welcome back!”

“Thanks, it’s, been forever.” Mai said, taking off a jacket and putting it on the luggage handle.

“I know! I’m glad Zuko told me you were coming so I surprised you!”

“Wait he did?”

“Damn it!” she thought to herself, “I shouldn’t have told him!”

“Yeah, of course!”

“Here, let me help you,” Ty Lee offered a hand with the bags, carefully picking one up with ease as they made their way out.

“Oh thanks, but it’s okay I can manage.”

“It’s alright, I’ll help you put them onto my car so we can drive back to the hotel.”

“Thanks.” Mai replied, she was always thoughtful, and it seemed that the younger woman was being kinder each year.

* * *

“So, what brought you back?” Ty Lee asked, humming along to the radio in the car. The roads were empty, and the sun was nearly setting.

“Nothing really, I just wanted to take a vacation.”

“Well, you’re just in time for the festival.” She commented, smiling wistfully.

“And so I’ve heard.”

“How’s everything with you?” the younger woman asked, tapping her fingers on the steering wheel.

“Nothing too interesting, just busy with the usual work I guess. And you?”

“I quit the circus, but I found a good gig though!” Ty Lee replied, she couldn’t wait to tell someone about that.

“Oh that’s nice.”

“Yeah, it’s in Ba Sing Se. Halfway across the world, but it’s a great deal.”

Mai looked at her in surprise, her face betrayed not many emotions, but the way her eyes looked lighter in surprise gave the hint that she had received happy news.

“Tell me, why are you really here?” Ty Lee asked, staring into the empty road.

Mai was silent, unsure of how to respond. There was no answer she could give that would make her look like the good person.   
“Do I tell her I miss her? Do I tell her the truth?” she pondered, clenching her fists in uncertainty.

“I missed you,” Mai replied, she glanced out the window, waiting with bated breath.

“Why didn’t you contact me back?” Ty Lee asked, glancing at the other woman in the front seat. She halted the car on the side of the road, this conversation was important, and she didn’t want to risk her nerves getting the better of her.

“I don’t know.”

“Yes, you do.”

“I was scared, okay? I knew that if I did that, I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from staying here with you,” Mai said, taking a deep breath and bowing her head.

“I’m glad I found a way to be closer. And I’m glad you’re back.” Ty Lee replied, gently squeezing Mai’s hand,

_‘I felt this way too’._

“I’m glad too,” she replied, gazing at Ty Lee’s face, she was content, and she had let herself be happy too.

**Author's Note:**

> This is dedicated to my old friend, and to the ending I wish I got.


End file.
